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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29886000">A Good Man</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ConsultingTribble/pseuds/ConsultingTribble'>ConsultingTribble</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>221B Ficlets [22]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Sherlock (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>221B Ficlet, Gen, Mycroft Holmes IS the British Government</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 16:47:39</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>221</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29886000</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ConsultingTribble/pseuds/ConsultingTribble</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>They call him “cold,” a living embodiment of the British Government, unfathomably powerful, nearly inhuman. But I know better.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Anthea &amp; Mycroft Holmes, Mycroft Holmes &amp; Greg Lestrade, Mycroft Holmes &amp; Sherlock Holmes, Sherlock Holmes &amp; John Watson</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>221B Ficlets [22]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1901503</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>A Good Man</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>You could actually read this as either Lestrade or Anthea being the narrator. (Thus the tags for both.) As always, my intention is platonic, but feel free to ship as you like. </p>
<p>Original prompt: “Cold”</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>He works so hard to hide his heart’s existence, but I know better. </p>
<p>They call him “cold,” a living embodiment of the British Government, unfathomably powerful, nearly inhuman. But I know better.</p>
<p>I know he wields that power with a more incorruptible moral compass than perhaps any human alive — a resounding counterargument to Lord Acton’s observation about power’s inevitable corruption. I also know how the responsibility weighs on him, yet defines his very being, as if he had been born to royal blood in an earlier century.</p>
<p>I know his devotion to his brother is the single thing in all creation that can match his loyalty to queen and country. I know that for all their affectations about sentiment being a chemical defect, the brothers’ love for — and trust in — one another is more absolute than gravity. Claims that either is without a heart are made only by those who fail to observe.</p>
<p>I also know how much he appreciates John Watson’s presence in his brother’s life. He still worries, naturally, but is grateful that another person on the planet cares <em>almost</em> as deeply for Sherlock as he does.</p>
<p>Above all, Mycroft Holmes is a great man, and I believe also a good one. To be among the few close enough to him to see that, I count myself truly blessed.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you for reading! As always, kudos, comments, and constructive feedback are very much appreciated!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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